Latch structure for refrigerator doors



Nov. 30 1926. 1,608,588

Y J. DUNDEK ET AL LATCH STRUCTURE FOR REFRIGERATOR DOORS Filed Sept. 14, 1925 gwuento'c GHQ: new

Patented Nov. 39,

UNI TLED TA TL'ES JOHN DUNDEK AND JOHN KUCHTA, OI Gi lie/AGO, ILLINOIS.

LATCH STRUCTURE FOR REERIGEFLIUEUR'DGGRS.

Application filed Sep tcmber This invention relates to a latch structure for refrigerator doors and aims to provide a device ofthis nature which is provided with an emergency handle which may be hidden inside the refrigerator so that should a robber or the like lock an attendant in the refrigerator, the emergency handle may be used by the person locked in, for releasing the lock.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of this nature which may be readily incorporated in refrigerator structures and in which the locking latch is mounted on the wall while the keeper is mounted on the door.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a device of this nature which is exceedingly simple in construction, iiiexpensive to manufacture and install, easy to operate, and well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

l v ith the above and numerous other objects in view as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in certain nove features of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

in the drawing Figure l. is a sectional view through the wall and door of a refrigerator showing our improved locking mechanism associated therewith,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevation of the wall and door of a refrigerator showing our improved locking mechanism associated therewith,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary end elevation of the door showing our improved keeper mounted thereon.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that 1 designates the door of a refrigerator and 2 thefrontwall thereof adjacent the door. A keeper A is mounted on the door adjacent its free edge and iiicludes a grip portion 3 which is of a con venient curved structure, and round in cross section terminating at its ends in upper and lower ears and 5 respectively. The up per car 4rhas its outer surface slanted outwardly and downwardly.

An axle rod 6 extends through the wall adjacent the door 1 so as to rotate. A recess 7 is provided in the interior surface of the wall 2 and the rod 6 extends therethrough. A collar 8 is disposed about the 14,1925. Serial l To. 56,329.

rod G adjacent the exterior surface of the wall 2 and has a ra1sedportion9 thereon for formingastop aswlill be brought out more clearly later 1n the description. A handle H is formed on the outer end of the rod ('3 and includes a head 10 having a shanl: 11 extending therefrom which terminates in a LOOP 12 fornnng a grip. lhe

shank ll is square in cross section, and is inner end of the rod 6 is threaded so that a nut and washer 13 may be engaged there on'and seated in the recess 7. The extreme inner end of the rod 6 is square as at 14 in order that an emergency handle B may be mounted thereon. This emergency handle B includes a head 15 having a square opening for fitting over the squared extremity 1a and a shank 16 extending therefrom merging into an oblique outwardly extending portion 17 which in turn merges into a handle 18 which extends in olfset parallel relation to the shank 16 thereby forniing a convenient grip so that the handle H may be just as easily disengaged from the keeper from the inside of the refrigerator as from the outside.

From the above detailed description it will be seen that the emergency handle B may be readily hidden in the inside of the refrigerator and that should a person become locked in the refrigerator he may attach the emergency handle for swinging the iandle H to an unlocked position.

It will be further apparent that the looking mechanism will insure the complete and tight closure of the door because of the slanting outer surface of the ear 4:. The derice is capable of being incorporated in any refrigerator and will operate eiiiciently therewith. It is also to be noted that the moving parts of the locking mechanism, nan'iely the rod 6 and the handles H and B are on the wall of the refrigerator rather than on the door thereof, so that they will be subject to practically no jarring and will be liable to become out of order or injured in any way. The present embodiment lit) of the invention which we have described in detail has been given merely by way of example and it is to be understood that numerous changes in the details of constrnction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the in vention as hereinafter claimed or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new is In a device of the class described, an axle bar, a handle formed integrally on one end of the axle bar a keeper having a grip portion and a wedge shaped ear for engagement by the handle, an emergency detachable handle engageable with the other end of the axle rod, and stop means associated with the first handle so as to limit the swinging movement thereof.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

' JOHN DUNDEK. JOHN KUCHTA. 

